The Biodiversity Working Group (BWG) of The China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) is one of five original working groups established to report to the council. CCICED is a high-level, non-government consultative forum created in 1992 under a suport grant from CIDA "to further strengthen cooperation and exchange between China and the international community in the field of environment and development". The council consists of senior Chinese officials and experts in the field together with high profile international experts in the field under the chairmanship of Mr. Song Jian, State Councillor for Science and Technology as well as Environmental Protection. The council provides advice to the Chinese Government at the highest level.

The original proposal proposed by CIDA was for the inclusion of Working Group entitled "Threatened Species and Threatened Habitat" but it was decided to broaden the work of the working group to include the full range of natural biodiversity in China, at the same time one of the biologically richest countires on earth but facing great threats and pressures from a huge population.

The Biodiversity Working Group of CCICED was formed in 1992 under the co-chairmanship of Prof. Wang Sung (CAS) and Dr. John MacKinnon (Director of the Asian Bureau for Conservation). The group recieved much initial support from such council members as Mr. Gus Speth (WRI), Mrs. Julia Marton-Lefevre (ICSU) and Sir Martin Holdgate (IUCN). Martin Holdgate was designated the 'Councillor Minister' directly responsible for this working group and helped to define the terms of reference of the group

The original terms of reference of the working group were -

• to analyse and review information on China's biological diversity, including information on its use, and to propose surveys and surveys and research to remedy deficiencies in this knowledge base;
• to bring together the relevant government agencies and scientific institutions in China, and appropriate governmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with the conservation and sustainable use of living resources and biological diversity; and
• to propose strategies and actions for the conservation and sustainable use of the nation's biological diversity and living natural resources.

These terms of reference were later felt by the group to be over-ambitious and too broad. New terms of reference were adopted by the group in 1995 as follows:-

• Create a fertile forum for exchange of ideas and approaches whereby China has access to wider experience beyond her borders and where managers can network with scientists and technicians to solve issues of policy, strategy and action in the field of Biodiversity Conservation.
• Provide a mechanism whereby priority needs identified by scientists and technicians can be brought to the attention of relevant leaders and decision-makers through a multisectoral forum.
• Provide an independent view of China's biodiversity and advise the government on areas of concern or sectoral failure.
• Provide advice and assistance as needed in China's international participation in international biodiversity conventions and programs to ensure that China gets maximal benefit from these mechanisms and also presents the most favourable international image of its considerable biodiversity achievements.
• Initiate studies to demonstrate the contribution of biodiversity conservation to regional economic development in selected ecosystems in China and identify both factors that threaten such systems and appropriate remedies to ensure the sustainability of such benefits.

2. Activites of the Biodiversity Working Group (1992-5):

The working group has a fairly flexible membership. In addition to the two chairmen there were an additional four Chinese members and four international members representing a wide range of knowledge and experience in the field of biodiversity. In addition a number of other experts were invited to attend meetings of the group and particiapte in some of the studies and research projects undertaken by the group.

The working group meets about twice a year to discuss progress on the several review and study projects that it has undertaken and to discuss specific topics to arrive at recommendations to bring forward to the CCICED council meetings and thence to the Chinese Government.

Working group meetings have been held at various places around the country which has given the opportunity for the group to examine specific and practical problems in the different regions and recieve reports on the local biodiversity situation from the provincial authorities in each place.

By careful selection of national and international experts the group has been able to benefit from a great deal more work and experience than it has been able to undertake under its own resources over the period of activity.

The group has a very broad mandate and has had to select a number of fairly specialised but topical issues to study such as 'investigations into transfrontier wildlife trade', 'ex situ conservation of plants and animals', 'utilisation of wildlife in traditional Chinese medicine' and 'economic evaluation biodiversity services and products in Hubei Province'.

Funding of the work of the BWG over the four years has grown steadily allowing an increased scope and depth to the investigations of the group. Initial support was largely from CIDA funds through the support of the CCICED Support office in Vancouver. Support for part of Dr. MacKinnon's time on the programme was gratefully recieved from WWF. Since 1996 the group has been supported by a grnat from the European Commission. The co-chairs would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge these sponsors.

John MacKinnon
WANG Sung
July 1997, Beijing